Public utilities provide electric, gas, water or telephone service to customers in a specified area. Utilities have a duty to provide safe and adequate service on reasonable terms to anyone who lives within the service area on without discriminating between customers. Because most utilities operate in near monopolistic conditions, they can be heavily regulated by local, state, and federal authorities. Generally, the local and state agencies are called Public Service Commissions (PSC) or Public Utility Commissions (PUC). Municipal Utilities and Rural Electric Cooperatives may be unregulated though.
Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 26,799 according to the 2000 census. For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, please see the article Milford (CDP), Massachusetts. Milford has been growing at a fast rate since the introduction of Interstate 495 decades ago. Since then, major retailers have opened in town including Kmart, Kohl's Department Stores, Target, Lowe's Home Improvement, and Sports Authority. Other retailers which recently opened stores in Milford include T.G.I. Friday's, Bed, Bath, & Beyond, Staples, Petco, and Best Buy. Milford was featured in a 2008 episode of FOX's television series, Fringe.